Best season

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

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Aug

Sep

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Nov

Dec

Description

When the Riffelhorn casts its dark shadow across the Riffelsee, evening is still a long way off. But this is a magical moment in winter, known as the blue hour. A calmness descends on the mountain; the ski pistes are far off. Take a deep breath and continue walking: soon the magnificent panorama reveals itself once again, with the Matterhorn, Obergabelhorn and Weisshorn. A winter’s day of fairy-tale beauty, sure to linger long in the memory.

The snowshoe trails can be tackled without a mountain guide. Beware: they are not prepared in any way and are not controlled daily; nor are they secured from natural hazards such as avalanches or rockfalls. For safety, check the weather forecast and current avalanche bulletin.

By train to the Matterhorn village: 3½ hours from Zürich airport or 4 hours from Geneva airport. Change at Visp onto the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn (Matterhorn Gotthard Railway). From Visp, the railway leads through the Mattertal valley past idyllic small villages to Zermatt.

Zermatt is also the start and finish point for the world-famous Glacier Express panoramic train journey (Zermatt to St. Moritz or Davos).